I Can't Sync My Palm Treo With Entourage 2008???

[jobarules]

I just upgraded and am stunned to learn this... a serious, woeful development and error on the part of Microsoft.

Too many problems. I will not, for a moment, consider using the sync services that involve iCal, Mail, etc.

I want my conduit back! This is ridiculous. I'm sitting here, now, with a relatively new Palm Treo 755p, the latest version of Entourage (which I love)... and no way to simply sync everything the way I've been doing for YEARS?!

Mircrosoft... when can we expect you to change course and release your own conduit for Palm synching? It's not like we're trying to do something obscure here. The method you're prescribing DOES NOT WORK RELIABLY. I will not use it. And I'll be returning Office 2008 if this isn't rectified quickly.

Please... anybody... help me out with some advice. Missing Sync is woeful in the face of this ridiculous development too.

 

[glasgowd]

And you're right, Missing Sync is indeed woeful. It takes about 30 minutes to sync now, every single time, using Missing Sync, whereas under 2004 I could sync in a minute or less if I hadn't made many changes since the last sync.

Funny how M$ feels it's essential to create style sheets that supersede my choices of font and other design elements, but doesn't think to spend time on actual FUNCTIONALITY.....

 

[jobarules]

You know, I've got better things to do on a Saturday than rail on a message board... but this really is crappy.

I have so much business I need to accomplish and rely on my Treo. I'm not interested in using the Apple Apps. I want to use Entourage to sync and there's NO REASON... in this 21st century of ours, that this shouldn't be easy and taken for granted.

What are the odds Microsoft will address this quickly, do you think?

 

[Andy Ruff]

Entourage is standardizing on the OS¹s device sync solution, Sync Services.
For Palm/Treo users, there are solutions out there for the OS sync system:

http://www.markspace.com/

-Andy

 

[Adam Bailey]

That's just marketer speak for "we're not interested in supporting our
customers who want to synchronize Palm devices - let Apple deal with
them instead".

It's silly for Microsoft and Apple to continue developing incompatible
methods for syncing.

It's obvious to everyone and their dog that Sync Services is inferior to
Entourage 2004 Handheld Sync Conduit.

For years and years people have been railing against Microsoft: "why don't
you support Apple's Sync Services?" I'm endlessly amused at how, now that
Microsoft has done as was requested, they continue to get abuse.

And I'm a loyal Treo owner, btw.

 

[KCrimson]

Boy, I feel like this is one of those times that a little web research really paid off! I bought the new Office 2008 (basically free when I bought 2004) and, based on what I'm reading about the marginal improvements and the abandonment of the Palm synchronization that works so elegantly on 2004, I won't even bother to install it until I get clear guidance that they have "fixed" the Palm synch issues. Thanks guys! You probably saved my hours of aggravation!

 

[Marty Mankins]

Entourage is standardizing on the OS¹s device sync solution, Sync Services.
For Palm/Treo users, there are solutions out there for the OS sync system:

http://www.markspace.com/

-Andy

How does The Missing Sync work with Entourage 2008? Feedback,
please. Details on what data syncs, what problems there are, errors,
etc.


- Marty

 

[Marty Mankins]

For years and years people have been railing against Microsoft: "why don't
you support Apple's Sync Services?" I'm endlessly amused at how, now that
Microsoft has done as was requested, they continue to get abuse.

And I'm a loyal Treo owner, btw.

That is true. A lot of people did call for Sync Services support, but
even Microsoft's explanation of the limitations they run into with
Sync Services, they should have simply updated the Handheld Sync
software and Entourage conduit for HotSync. They updated it at least
once for Office 2004, but it was way before most of the current crop
of Treos were released.

Sync Services is ok for iCal and tasks/to do items, from my limited
testing of the function. It's the Contacts/Address Book translation
that I've had some issues with, lacking a lot of field translation to
similar of exact fields under Address Book.


- Marty

 

[glasgowd]

I've only just installed and started using Missing Sync, so I may be missing things, but in my experience so far, Missing Sync:

1. Is EXTREMELY slow. Count on 30 minutes for EACH AND EVERY HotSync.

2. Is unreliable. Tasks and events I enter on the Treo don't make it to Entourage with any predictability. (Yes, I've checked to be sure I'm set to "sync" not "override")

3. Is incomplete. (iSync's fault, not Missing Sync) Because iSync doesn't support categories, there's no way for Missing Sync to bring them back & forth.

4. Provides superfluous features. (Not sure this is Missing Sync, but...) since "upgrading," now any time I have a contact's birthday or anniversary in their Address Book record AND in the Calendar, it shows up TWICE on my Treo calendar.

Again, I may be missing prefs, etc, that would fix some of these, but underscore twice and put in all-caps bold that MISSING SYNC IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR AN OFFICE-NATIVE CONDUIT!

In my opinion, of course. Not that I matter--I just paid money for this headache of a software package.... (Grr.)

 

[andy]

I just upgraded and am stunned to learn this... a serious, woeful development and error on the part of Microsoft.
Too many problems. I will not, for a moment, consider using the sync services that involve iCal, Mail, etc.
I want my conduit back! This is ridiculous. I'm sitting here, now, with a relatively new Palm Treo 755p, the latest version of Entourage (which I love)... and no way to simply sync everything the way I've been doing for YEARS?!
Mircrosoft... when can we expect you to change course and release your own conduit for Palm synching? It's not like we're trying to do something obscure here. The method you're prescribing DOES NOT WORK RELIABLY. I will not use it. And I'll be returning Office 2008 if this isn't rectified quickly.
Please... anybody... help me out with some advice. Missing Sync is woeful in the face of this ridiculous development too.

I am experiencing the same problems with Office 2008, ISync and my
Treo. Isync does not support my Treo. Office 2008 does not accept
conduits. I guess I will have to downgrade to keep my info intact.
Please can you point me to the old Entourage Conduit Download so I can
do this. I can not find it anywhere. Thanks.

 

[Marty Mankins]

I am experiencing the same problems with Office 2008, ISync and my
Treo. Isync does not support my Treo. Office 2008 does not accept
conduits. I guess I will have to downgrade to keep my info intact.
Please can you point me to the old Entourage Conduit Download so I can
do this. I can not find it anywhere. Thanks.

The Exchange HotSync conduit for Office 2004 is on the install CD. If
you are trying to get it to work with Office 2008, it won't work
(according to another post out here). You will have to go back to the
full Office 2004 and Entourage 2004 in order to get the conduit to
work.


- Marty

 

[Marty Mankins]

I've only just installed and started using Missing Sync, so I may be missing things, but in my experience so far, Missing Sync:
1. Is EXTREMELY slow. Count on 30 minutes for EACH AND EVERY HotSync.
2. Is unreliable. Tasks and events I enter on the Treo don't make it to Entourage with any predictability. (Yes, I've checked to be sure I'm set to "sync" not "override")
3. Is incomplete. (iSync's fault, not Missing Sync) Because iSync doesn't support categories, there's no way for Missing Sync to bring them back & forth.
4. Provides superfluous features. (Not sure this is Missing Sync, but...) since "upgrading," now any time I have a contact's birthday or anniversary in their Address Book record AND in the Calendar, it shows up TWICE on my Treo calendar.
Again, I may be missing prefs, etc, that would fix some of these, but underscore twice and put in all-caps bold that MISSING SYNC IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR AN OFFICE-NATIVE CONDUIT!
In my opinion, of course. Not that I matter--I just paid money for this headache of a software package.... (Grr.)

Thanks for the notes on this. So in these 30 minute sync sessions,
does any data actually make it from Entourage 2008 to the Treo? and
vice versa (as you briefly mentioned with the tasks and events).


- Marty

 

[glasgowd]

Yes, Calendar events, Tasks, and Contacts seem to make it okay from Entourage to Treo--just not in the other direction. (At least in my experience.)

 

[Marty Mankins]

Yes, Calendar events, Tasks, and Contacts seem to make it okay from Entourage to Treo--just not in the other direction. (At least in my experience.)

That sounds like it's all iSync at that point.

I noticed on Apple's page for iSync that they recommend using The
Missing Sync for all Palm stuff, which means they most likely didn't
do anything for Palm users and using iSync. Bummer that there is only
one solution and it involves using another tool besides iSync or an
Entourage conduit.


- Marty

 

[Greg_Armstrong]

For those that use the Treo and others with smart phones, I have used Mark Space's Missing Sync for a couple years and upgraded when they release. It has been the best synching tool I know of and I was able to plug the proper conduits in. I'm not sure if Entourage '08 has any need for different conduits for Mark Space, but I won't know that since I don't think I will do this upgrade after reading the responses here. I might go to Daylite since they have made some great product changes.

In response to Andy, I respect the great changes they made in the upgrade that I see from the demo, but there are some long hard days ahead to make the strides necessary to make sure the product is well-rounded.

Entourage needs to:
1) Make cross-platform compatibility (it's what we expect from Microsoft)
2) Create sync services for multi-computer users without having to use Apple's programs such as iCal, Address Book, etc. through .Mac.
3) Make Projects update between multi-users to include links and mail.
4) Cut whatever red tape resides from within the Mactopia to get these things done. You're leaving money on the table.

Andy- Please pass this word around: you have made a nice product, but there is so much lost potential here. You have made it as glamorous as some of the other Apple products, but you can be even better by offering the solution your product needs to have to make it the best alternative. Right now it is not the best alternative.

I have used Entourage for years and waited for a better product to come along. I don't mean to keep touting Daylite, but I have been test-driving it for a week now and I am very impressed with it's solutions. I haven't tried it's server capabilities yet, but I understand it to work excellently with the Apple programs.

So Andy, do you think that by July 4th you might have a revolutionary update to Entourage 2008 so I don't have to spend the big bucks on Daylite?

Just a thought. Keep up the good work.
-Greg

 

[glvaughan]

OK, after reading all these posts, I'm ready to reinstall Office 2004 so I can continue using the conduit that worked great with Missing Sync for my PalmOne Tungsten/T5. The question is, how? When I loaded Office 2008, it imported address book, calendar, etc., but not from Office 2004. It imported from Office X! if I reload Office 2004, will it be able to import backwards from Office 2008? If anyone knows, please advise. Thanks.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

OK, after reading all these posts, I'm ready to reinstall Office 2004 so I
can continue using the conduit that worked great with Missing Sync for my
PalmOne Tungsten/T5. The question is, how? When I loaded Office 2008, it
imported address book, calendar, etc., but not from Office 2004. It imported
from Office X! if I reload Office 2004, will it be able to import backwards
from Office 2008? If anyone knows, please advise. Thanks.

Entourage 2004 will not be able to import from the 2008 Identity
database, but the original database should still be there, unless you've
deleted it.

 

[Michel Bintener]

Alternatively, Entourage 2004 can read archives generated by Entourage 2008,
so simply click on File>Export (in Entourage 2008), export your data as an
..rge archive, then open Entourage 2004, click on File>Import and choose the
..rge archive that has just been created.

Entourage 2004 will not be able to import from the 2008 Identity
database, but the original database should still be there, unless you've
deleted it.

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

*** Please always reply to the newsgroup. ***

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Alternatively, Entourage 2004 can read archives generated by Entourage 2008,
so simply click on File>Export (in Entourage 2008), export your data as an
.rge archive, then open Entourage 2004, click on File>Import and choose the
.rge archive that has just been created.

Ah - better!

 

[Guest]

Try contacting Markspace and see if they are working on conduits. Or better yet, perhaps Mactopia could start this.